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A Zest of Life

A Blogger's Food Guide to New York

Sunday, 19 March 2017

Heading to NYC and wondering where to go for the most Instagram-worthy photos? Well, I've helped shorten your search because I've compiled here a list of must-visit spots, from delicious brunch to aesthetic cafes!

Keep in mind, however, that I only spent 4 days in New York so this is a far cry from an exhaustive list. These are just some of the places I managed to go to, but there are so many more amazing spots so be sure to keep researching!

If you're heading to DUMBO for some shots, make sure to hit up this gem! It's only a few minutes walk away, and they serve bomb doughnuts and lattes. The doughnuts were a little bit on the pricey side (at around $3), but oh boy they were delish. The latte was velvety and very well made (including the latte art!).

Now this was one of my most highly anticipated dessert spots...and it did not disappoint! Not only is it super Instagram-able (I mean, just look at this beauty) but it tasted really good too. This was a pleasant surprise because I was, quite frankly, expecting Taiyaki NYC to be one of those spots that don't taste nearly as nice as they look.

I got the matcha/black sesame mix ice cream, which was nicely flavoured, but what I was most impressed with was the taiyaki "cone". As a Japanese, I have a pretty high standard for taiyaki and I have to say, it was one of the more authentic tasting taiyaki I've had outside of Japan! Good job, Taiyaki NYC.

If you're a fan of yogurt you're gonna love this place! I'm not too fond of yogurt, but their wide range of toppings and cute ceramic bowl made me want to get one regardless (of course, such a blogger thing to do haha). Their rose matcha latte was really good though-strong matcha flavour and not too sweet!

If you don't want to wait in line for an hour, you better make a reservation for this spot! This place was so packed, but the wait was more than worth it. I had one of their classics, the Madame Freda, and it was deee-lish.

Now I'm not usually too big of a fan for vegan food...but let me tell you, this place is SO good. If I hadn't known, I wouldn't have believed it was vegan! I had the mac&cheese and it may have been one of the best mac&cheese I've ever had. They used crisp shiitake as a bacon substitute and it blew my mind. By Chloe definitely set a high bar for vegan food. And not to mention, the interior is adorable!

Churros and ice cream. I mean, how much better can it get? This spot was hard to find because I was expecting a decently sized shop but it's actually more of a stand inside a building. But the hunt was worth it. The churros were fresh and flavourful, and the ice cream was rich and creamy. I'm craving this as I write. Ugh.

This gem was initially not on our go-to list of spots. We happened to stumble across it, and we were all pretty hungry so we decided to give it a try. And to our pleasant surprise, the iced latte and the matcha latte may have been one of the best out of all the cafes we had been to! Also, the staff was amazing. So fun and friendly!

Ah, the sensational rainbow bagel. Of course we couldn't leave NYC without testing out these babies. If you plan on going there in the evening, I highly suggest you call in to reserve your bagels! It's a little bit in the middle of nowhere, so it'd suck getting there only to find out there's none left. So, what's the verdict? To be honest, I personally thought it was way too overrated. I mean, yes it's pretty. And very Instagram-able. But taste-wise? Mediocre haha. But hey, it does look hella cute in a photo!

Aaand, that's a wrap! If you're heading to New York you should definitely check them out. Also, if you have any recommendations let me know in the comments below :)